I recently have been having some changed in the regularity of my period. Since I am 48 years old, I assumed that I might be starting menopause. I went to my yearly gynecology appt. and my doctor noticed fluid behind one of my ovaries and an ovarian cyst. I have been scheduled to have bloodwork and a follow up exam after my next period. My doctor mentioned that the exam and bloodwork are to check hormone levels and to make sure that there is not a tumor on the ovary. How concerned should I be that this might be ovarian cancer? Is fluid behind the ovary normal?

How were these things discovered? Did your exam include ultrasound testing? Did the cyst get described in terms of size and type? There are no truly reliable non-surgical tests to distinguish benign cysts from cancer. Full pathology of a removed cyst is the most reliable. CA-125 tumor marker tests give false positive and false negative tests, but doctors often opt for this blood test anyway. Cysts can be fully or partially fluid filled can can leak fluid in the process of breaking down. Most cysts turn out to be benign but some demonstrate suspicious characteristics that lead to surgical removal (if in doubt, take it out). Sometimes they must be removed because they are too large and start to interfere with bowel and bladder function, cause pressure pain, and disrupt hormones, too, making it hard to tell if menopause or the cyst are to blame. I hope you get your answers and good ones. Remember again that most of these are benign, but if the doctor is worried, then surgery is the right solution.

How were these things discovered? Did your exam include ultrasound testing? Did the cyst get described in terms of size and type? There are no truly reliable non-surgical tests to distinguish benign cysts from cancer. Full pathology of a removed cyst is the most reliable. CA-125 tumor marker tests give false positive and false negative tests, but doctors often opt for this blood test anyway. Cysts can be fully or partially fluid filled can can leak fluid in the process of breaking down. Most cysts turn out to be benign but some demonstrate suspicious characteristics that lead to surgical removal (if in doubt, take it out). Sometimes they must be removed because they are too large and start to interfere with bowel and bladder function, cause pressure pain, and disrupt hormones, too, making it hard to tell if menopause or the cyst are to blame. I hope you get your answers and good ones. Remember again that most of these are benign, but if the doctor is worried, then surgery is the right solution.

I recently have been having some changed in the regularity of my period. Since I am 48 years old, I assumed that I might be starting menopause. I went to my yearly gynecology appt. and my doctor noticed fluid behind one of my ovaries and an ovarian cyst. I have been scheduled to have bloodwork and a follow up exam after my next period. My doctor mentioned that the exam and bloodwork are to check hormone levels and to make sure that there is not a tumor on the ovary. How concerned should I be that this might be ovarian cancer? Is fluid behind the ovary normal?

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